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Chrysocolla: Part-Time Agent
Microsoft Windows |genre=Third-person shooter |modes=Single-player }} Chrysocolla: Part-Time Assassin (or simply Chrysocolla) is a 1997 third-person shooter video game developed by Gingo Interactive and published by Universal Interactive Studios. It was originally released for the PlayStation on October 21, 1997 in North America, in November 1997 in Europe, and on March 13, 1998 in Japan, and was later released for Microsoft Windows on November 25, 1998 in North America. Taking place in the year 2030, it follows a young assassin named Chrysocolla Reed (voiced by Grey DeLisle), who is sent on a mission to face Jet Servo (voiced by Gregg Berger), the leader of the secret organization Kill Zone Agency, who plans to wipe out the last female assassin on Earth. Although visually similar to animation studio Gingo Animation's family-oriented intellectual properties Gabriel Garza, Hatty, and Niz Chicoloco, Chrysocolla: Part-Time Assassin was designed for young adult audiences and features violence and profanity. It was under development for three years, and was intended for release in late 1996 as the debut title from Gingo Interactive. However, its date was swapped with the 1996 Gabriel Garza video game, due to producer Mark Cerny wanting the studio's first in-house game to be marketed for a family audience. Production on Chrysocolla was fraught with difficulties, and the game ended up being delayed twice. Chrysocolla: Part-Time Assassin received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its graphics, art style, humor, and soundtrack, while criticizing its camera controls and dark themes. Some also praised it as a unique departure from typical family-friendly Gingo properties, and the game has gained a cult following in the years since its release. The game was also a commercial success, with the PlayStation version going on to sell over 3 million copies. A sequel to the game, titled Chrysocolla 2: Battle for the Shadow Army, was released in 2001. Gameplay Chrysocolla: Part-Time Assassin is a third-person shooter game in which the player controls the main character Chrysocolla Reed through the majority of the game. Chrysocolla has a number of special moves, such as the abilities to double jump and roll around, and uses a wide arrangement of two pistols at all times. More coming soon! Plot Coming soon! Development and release Chrysocolla: Part-Time Assassin was Gingo Animation's second in-house video game title based on an original idea, following Niz Chicoloco. Development of the game began when the studio's newly-formed division Gingo Interactive was launched in 1994. During that time, Gingo co-founder Michael Wildshill originally conceived the idea, where he envisioned a story about a tough female assassin who often carries two pistols and faces an evil businessman who plans to get rid of her in an encounter. While still working on his animated short Bob & Tom, Wildshill decided to use the name "Chrysocolla" for a female protagonist (a first for a Gingo property) after chrysocolla, a type of a gemstone. Normally, most of Gingo's other properties such as Gabriel Garza and Hatty were targeted at a family audience, but Wildshill wanted to attract an older audience with Chrysocolla; the game's development team felt it would be better off released under Gingo's adult-oriented division label Glass Ball Productions, but that change did not occur. The game was initially developed under the title Chrysocolla: The Assassin Girl, but was retitled into Chrysocolla: Part-Time Assassin because the team felt the original title does not make much sense. Chrysocolla: Part-Time Assassin was officially unveiled by Gingo Interactive in March 1996, and was first shown off at the 1996 Electronic Entertainment Expo as one of three games presented by Gingo. A release date was announced for September 1996 as Gingo Interactive's first title, but the game got delayed into spring 1997. Mark Cerny of Universal Interactive Studios stated that the reason for the delay was that it would be more suitable if the 1996 Gabriel Garza platform game, which was aimed at a family audience in vein of the TV series, was the debut title for Gingo Interactive; as a result, Gabriel Garza took over Chrysocolla's original release date of September 1996. The game was finally released in North America on October 21, 1997 for the Sony PlayStation, and later in Europe in November 1997. It was released in Japan a year later on March 13, 1998 for the PlayStation as Killer Chrysocolla (キラークリソコラー, Kirākurisokorā). A release for the Sega Saturn in December 1997 was planned but was ultimately cancelled due to the system's poor sales. A Microsoft Windows port of the game was released in North America on November 25, 1998. The PlayStation version of the game was re-released under Sony's Greatest Hits banner in late October 1998. The music for the game was composed by Bill Brown, while the sound effects were created by Universal Sound Studios (consisting of Mike Gollom, Ron Horwitz and Kevin Spears), and the characters were designed by Geo G., Charles Zembillas, and Erik Panglilinan. Grey DeLisle provided the voice of Chrysocolla Reed, and Gregg Berger voiced Jet Servo, alongside voices from Jim Cummings, Maurice LaMarche, Corey Burton, Michael Gough, Jeff Bennett, Kevin Michael Richardson, Steven Jay Blum, and Billy West. Reception Coming soon! Legacy Coming soon! Gallery Cover arts Chrysocolla - Part-Time Assassin PS1 Cover Art GH.jpg|PlayStation Greatest Hits cover art Screenshots Coming soon! Trivia Coming soon! Category:Video games Category:Chrysocolla: Part-Time Assassin Category:1990s Category:1997 Category:Gingo Interactive Category:Universal Interactive